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I'm calling it while it's still hot off the grill - This thread will go down as one of Serebii's Greatest Hits. We haven't had a true main team release since Vulpix, and that was well before this forum existed, so this is a nice glimpse at what could have been. It's already got more than its share of classics, which is hard to accomplish so soon after the Piplup/Everstone fallout. Truly, we are living in a golden age. We've already got our share of cursing the writers (I always see this as if "The Writers" is some mysterious multi-headed entity that controls the flow of time and space) and accusations of "racism".

Also note that I will never, ever express my opinion of the departure, just like that anonymous neutral nation that will remain unnamed. The one where Swiss cheese comes from (Oops!). Review on actual episode content later, because somebody has to (though I give props to ^ASH^).

Review on actual episode content later, because somebody has to (though I give props to ^ASH^).

Heh, thanks ^_^
I do admit however - I did freak out when the speculation about all this began... but I think thanks to that I was prepared and accepted this before the ep aired... when I read it did leave I was upset but watching the episode caused me to change my opinion (but I'd prefer if it did stay...)

I write mainly on Bulbagarden... maybe I should begin to post regularely here too XD
Oh and it's fun write in details about episodes, this is another thing I might keep doing from now on
A few "little things" I didn't write about in my original post but are too great to ignore:

- Once again Brock and James sit together in the audience, once again they understand each other and once again they're hugging... and Pip look at them embarrased...
- Jessie complain about Marowak using its bone while Meowth isn't allowed to use the... paddle? (that's the word for that?) that was funny too XD
- Ash getting the PP ball to his face XD
Oh, did I say how I love this show? all these little things really entertain me alot XD
Another "little thing" that I liked was during the competition, Ambi patted Dawn on the shoulder when Dawn became too nervous
- Ash getting nervous (that's rare, it's usually Dawn's thing)
- Meowth destroying the ball and cause Jessie to lose XD

And about Ambi, the fact they bothered to mention where it is and which location they chose make me believe we might see it again, but better not expect it... more copy past...
Actually, if to go by the games (which the anime likes more than ever now) if one wants to go to Johto from Kanto, an easy way is take the ship from Vermilion to Olivine (which just happens to be the city of a previous Gym Leader who returned in DPt)
Since it's obvious between the end of Sinnoh and beginning of new journey, like always they'll go to Pallet Town... they'll have to get from Kanto to Johto (assuming they go to Johto next, assuming there are remakes)
And as I said, that's the easy way to do so in the games (didn't May taking a ship from Snowpoint to Lake Valor also fitting with the games? I didn't play DP yet...)

This was really a very bad twist from the writers.............Why develop a character this much if you just want to let it go in the end? I mean, it would have made sense if aipom was not Ash's to begin with and all those histories of choosing contest over battling never happened. So aipom was just a plot device to bring Buizel in Ash's team? How very silly!!
Now what will Dawn do? She only has this stupid penguin, a stubborn pig and ice-skating buneary!?! Nothing but water and ice!Oh and pachi is there as well....hmmph! I dunno about you guys but I feel she needs to get someone and soon!

It stood out as Ambipom stole the show and helped Dawn at the finals. Also, points for an original plot since we've seen a lot of Battle and Contest related stuff. So kudos to them.

Unfortunately, I will never forgive the writers for writing off Ambipom like that. I always like the moments when the Pokemon are given a choice to really think about. I understand Primape from Kanto being written off since it never played a big part in Ash's team. But Aipom/Ambipom was traded for Buizel and was a great plot Contest Pokemon. *sigh* It must've saw Ping-pong as another fun thing to do, especially with those hand-tails, but seriously?!

It was a great episode actually,they put some flashbacks of ash and also with jessie. and Also it almost made me cry (ALMOST). I'm still ****** of also to the writers of letting ambipom leave and chose ping pong over contests. Why do i get a feeling that Ambi might pull of a Squirtle/Charizard thing in the future especially in the GF.

BTW, I'm sad also that Dawn's others pokemon didn't had an appearance in the episode, they shoul've let pachi,Mamo, and buneary come out just to say good bye. They will wonder where ambi go if the came out in the future episodes.

I wonder what The Intro will be like in the next episode excluding ambipom

ok so ambipom left no big deal dawn will get a new pokemon and you will forget all about the two tailed monkey. there are a lot better pokemon than ambipom anyway, and i had a feeling this was going to happen since Dawn's team wasn't balanced with 2 normal types anyway so it only makes since that she lets the weakest link go.

Was it just me or did the episode seem to skip some things due to it being a 30 min. program?

“...This is a tricky problem, huh. I really, really want to see the other Heroes... and if it works out, I want to make friends with them! If I made friends with six Heroes, I’d be an awesome mage! We could even conquer the world!”

No they did that I think cause all the mains were left out of the finals. Anyway they say that Ambipoms leave was untouching and cruel just waving. It was actually pretty touching. Both dawn AND ash made the decision and I liked that cause both of them have rights over it. I love how it played with that hats and the touching music Eteboh flashbacks had. But man that Okido quiz was hilarious. Good to see it back.

This episode is sure to teach kids plenty of lifelong lessons about how friendship is fickle and that the phrase “best friends forever” is about as false as “You’ll always have your family”. Heck, since I don’t even know who's on my Serebii friends list, one of these days I actually will go through and “prune” the list (if you get axed, don’t be offended; it just means I don’t like you). It’ll just like releasing Pokemon! Anyways, this episode was about Ambipom once again changing life partners, officially making her the Pokemon equivalent of Elizabeth Taylor. They also both resemble apes.

Now, ping pong is one of China’s less useful pastimes. Personally, I prefer their playing with guns and toxic children’s toys. It was apparently stolen from the British according to Fact-ipedia, potentially outdoing Serebii Forums as the biggest waste of time the British have ever invented. Totally true stereotypes aside, this episode turned the sorry excuse for a sport on its head, making it both dramatic and exciting, if obviously rushed at points. I really do love it when my ping pong ball catches fire, don't you? I felt a little robbed that we didn't get to actually see Ash and Dawn face off, but obviously Ash wasn't this episode's focus.

I liked Jessie's new outfit and Bono glasses, just to give her a break from the Jesselina outfit. Her use of Meowth may be some foreshadowing in combination with the ending of DP123. And I did appreciate her recollection of using Aipom in that faux contest. Obviously the whole drama and emotion of the event was exaggerated to such extremes (and I don't know why Dawn would leave Ambipom by itself for 5 rounds before getting a new paddle), but I felt that fade-to-light transition from the arena to Ambipom in the Pokemon Center was very well-done.

Then of course, we have the farewell. I recall being quite annoyed by Aipom's antics in Battle Frontier, but nearly 150 episodes later, I came to quite adore the thing. I'm going to abstain from giving any personal opinion of whether Ambipom should have left, but I will say that it's goodbye was written well with the juggling hats and balls. Way better than Primeape, which was totally spontaneous if you recall. Might I add that the opening next week is going to look very awkward. Buizel having double the space in its fade sequence should be a real "thrill".

I haven't watched the episode yet (and don't know if I will), but I viewed the pictures without reading any posts about it. Although I was half-expecting Ambipom to leave like all the speculation suggested, my heart seriously dropped when I saw the picture of her boarding Ou's van. I've been around long enough to witness all the Pokemon releases from the main characters, but i'd probably say that of Ambipom has hit home the most effectively out of the lot.

I dunno, maybe all of the development of the Pokemon since it was an Aipom in the Battle Frontier saga makes me feel that we've been taken for a long and wasted ride. I have been on these forums since long before the Battle Frontier and I do remember how everyone used to slate Aipom for being such an annoying character at a time when all it did was tag along with the group and steal Ash's hat. However, we all knew that her late capture signalled a likely new evolution in Sinnoh for which we were all excited. Her affection for Ash and interest in contests were nice quirks too. I cannot therefore see why so much development has been poured into the little primate when it all amounted to this.

That's all i'm gonna say on the matter and i'll have to watch the episode to have a full opinion. Phew... other than that, though it looked to be an enjoyable episode, from top-notch animation courtesy of that man Iwane yet again, to some great character mannerisms.

I hardly watch the show anymore, but when I heard about this it seemed to me like Ambipom had been abandoned by both Ash and Dawn, which was a little upsetting...

Define "abandoned".

Originally Posted by Thriller

Why would she have been a plot device to put Buizel on Ash's team? Why couldn't Ash have just been Buizel's O.T. to begin with? What would Zoey and Kengo think of it?

Honestly, I don't feel the writers thought this far ahead when Aipom was caught or even when Aipom was traded. So I don't feel "plot device" is the appropriate term for Aipom. Obviously it had been in planning for a bit, but it wasn't Aipom's sole purpose.

Speaking of, what happeend to Jun and Kengo at the end? Iirc the both of them were a part of the ping-pong competition. I'm guessing Kengo will just be heading off on his own but what about Jun?

I don't believe Kengo was ever participating, and he was seen leaving at the end of last week's episode. Jun, however, seems like he was just forgotten about midway through the episode, which is odd given his excitement for this tourney. As stated, they had to cram a hell of a lot into this episode, and thus a few things felt left out.

It was Ambipom's decision to leave 100%. Dawn gave it a choice, and it picked Ping Pong. If anyone abandoned anyone, it was that damn dirty ape getting on that greyhoundour bus to head to Kanto.

Well, you know, and probably eventually switching to aerial or aquatic transportation.

So it's really not fair to accuse Dawn of being a heartless *******, I mean, if you take her in the context of being a real person and not being dictated by a script. But I agree with ^ASH^, the mention of an actual location makes it a bit more likely to appear again. And since Sinnoh's done rather well with bringing back old characters, I'd say Ambipom probably won't be limited to Glory Days and Spurts like it's primate predecessor.

I don't believe Kengo was ever participating, and he was seen leaving at the end of last week's episode. Jun, however, seems like he was just forgotten about midway through the episode, which is odd given his excitement for this tourney. As stated, they had to cram a hell of a lot into this episode, and thus a few things felt left out.

Barry taking off isn't too bothersome, considering it fits in with his character. I mean a goodbye would be nice, but I certainly can excuse him not getting a big goodbye scene.

Ok, so i finally watched the episode (props to the 'tube' guy for quality btw) and I gotta say that I am even more PO'd than I was before. What is it with random people in the Pokemon world just walking up to someone and saying "Oh, can i have you're Pokemon? It'd be great at this"...I mean, c'mon. Who would really give up their Pokemon to someone they didn't know? I know I wouldn't just give my cats away. Ambipom leaving to play Ping Pong was a ridiculous idea and whoever came up with it needs shooting (i felt this post need a little over-reaction).

But on a lighter note, Jessie looked so good in that outfit...and I mean gooood.

Oh! I almost forgot...Brock + Piplup = Win.

OR Playthrough - Currently In TrainingI don't really have the time or patience to focus on nature's and IV'S, I just play with what I'm handed..

This episode tried too hard to make Ping-pong interesting. And though I think putting Iwane to work on a boring episode like this is a waste, it makes sense since this thing's only redeeming factor was the nice animation.

And while many try to justify Ambipom's departure with "Oh it wasn't that interesting anyway", "After Dawn got it it became completely boring", etc. etc., they fail to realize that it's not just a personality that can make a pokemon it's also the battles its in and the style of battle it uses. Ambipom was one of Dawn's best battlers and with it gone all Dawn has are a bunch of cuteys...who in all honesty aren't that much more interesting than the "boring" Ambipom.(Except for Mamoswine obviously, or should I say "Superficial-development-swine" lol!!!...v_v)